How to Break the “Who Cares” Mindset

More often than not, you have an employee on staff who rolls their eyes whenever you have to send out another cybersecurity email or reminder. This “who cares” mindset is dangerous and can infect your business in a profoundly disturbing way. Today, we want to get into why this “who cares” mindset is so dangerous and what’s really at stake when you have an employee who can’t get on board with your security policies.

The Illusion of Insignificance

First, we need to dispel this illusion of insignificance that permeates the SMB landscape.

Many SMBs believe that they are too small to be targeted by a problematic cyberattack. Surely the attackers have bigger fish to fry, right? Well, we hate to break it to you, but SMBs are just as vulnerable as larger enterprises are to cyberattacks—perhaps even more so, considering the limited resources placed on cybersecurity spending.

The reason you’re a viable target is simple: the valuable data your business stores, processes, and uses on a daily basis, all of which can be exploited by a cybercriminal for financial gain.

The Consequences of Neglect

Cybersecurity is not a non-issue, and this kind of “who cares” neglect can lead to real, tangible damages done to your business, including your employees.

Imagine an employee gets an email from “HR” claiming that they need to confirm their banking credentials. This email asks the employee to divulge information such as their online banking username and password, Social Security number, and other sensitive information. Such a phishing email could impact your employees in ways they might not foresee–unless, of course, they’ve been educated and trained on cybersecurity best practices.

Now imagine if the same thing happened to the folks in your accounting department, but they hand over the keys to your business’ financials instead… Not a good look at all.

The Solution: Proactive Security Training and Practices

The best way to keep your business secure is a combination of training and security solutions.

Start by ensuring that your employees know and understand how cybersecurity impacts their day-to-day responsibilities. Emphasize that the business cannot run without dedication to cybersecurity and that it’s also a crucial element in the employee’s home life, too. Follow up these conversations with training and regular testing to illustrate the ongoing importance of cybersecurity.

With the right approach, you’ll get the amount of buy-in your business needs to see appropriate cybersecurity practices take root.

The “who cares” mentality is a poison that needs to be dealt with at your business. Whether it’s an employee who simply doesn’t agree with your stance on cybersecurity or the belief that you’re too small to become a target, you’re playing with fire the longer you let this mindset linger. We can help you make appropriate changes to your business practices that can shift the way your organization handles cybersecurity for the better. Learn more by calling us today at (780) 409-8180.